finding joy in the simple things

My Top 5 Favorite Cleaning Products

As you have probably noticed, I’m a little bit obsessed with cleaning. I also happen to be extremely picky about what cleaning products I use. As a cleaning lady, I would of course use what people had on hand, but nothing quite compares to those special brands, scents & textures of the cleaners you are used to.

So without further ado, let me introduce you to some of my very favorite cleaning products that make my nose happy, my home sparkly, & my heart satisfied.

This vacuum is THE. BEST. I received it as a wedding gift, and I had no idea it could change the whole way I looked at cleaning. In fact, vacuuming used to be my most dreaded chore. Between hauling the heavy thing around, having to unplug it between every room, & all that sweaty pushing, I just hated it!

After figuring out the niches of this vacuum, I fell so deeply in love that I dutifully began carrying it with me in my backseat to every house I cleaned.

PROS:

Soooo lightweight, I can carry it in the fold of my arm along with whatever crap I’ve got with me.

Extremely easy to clean. There is no bag, and the plastic canister unsnaps easily to empty & wash. The filter is foam and pops out to wash (I hand wash with soap & water, then dry in the dryer). The brush-roll cover comes off with three snaps & has a dip to run scissors through to cut out the hair & other things that manage to wrap their way around.

Sports an extra long cord so you can sometimes clean an entire floor from one outlet!

Has a very small brushroll, so you can fit it in virtually any space. It also bends right at the top of the brushroll so you can get it underneath beds & furniture easily.

Incredible suction power.

CONS:

Because the canister is so small, you have to empty it pretty regularly. However, all you have to do it push a small button and tip it over the trash can. Done. How much easier can it get?

The foam filter rips easily. It still works, even with a rip, but you have to be pretty careful when handling it.

With the canister & filters on top of the vacuum, you have to lean it against something – it does not stand on it’s own. It does have a rubber back that you can use to prop it against the wall.

Overall, this is the best vacuum I have ever used. And for the price, it’s unbeatable!

Usually, I am not a fan of foam cleaners. I hate that they spray far more than the area you are cleaning, they take a lot of paper towels to sop up, & I’m not even sure they do any better than a regular spray.

However, my favorite bathroom cleaner of all time is indeed a foam cleaner. Enter: Scrubbing Bubbles. I can smell this stuff from a mile away. In fact, I’m 99% positive that all Target stores use this in their bathrooms. Therefore, they are my favorite store to use the facilities in!

Smells ah-mazing!

Cleans deeply & quickly

Doesn’t leave residue on all surrounding areas like most foam cleaners

I’m sorry Windex, but this glass cleaner wins. I have used countless glass products that claim to be “streakless”, and they never are! One of my biggest pet peeves is streaky glass cleaner. It’s a lot of work to clean windows. My arms always get so tired, especially when doing more than one window at a time, & I’ve had my fair share of frustration with crappy glass cleaners that made the job harder than it needed to be.

Not all toilet bowl cleaners are created equal. I despise all Clorox versions, but even the Lysol versions are not all up to par. Some are too runny, some don’t smell good, some are chemically potent & some just don’t clean well. Of all the Lysol cleaners I have tried, this one is top notch.

Thick mixture that clings to the sides of the bowl

Sweet, minty scent that make it smell clean

Made with hydrogen peroxide as the cleaning agent instead of more potent chemicals

Most disinfecting wipes I have used are fairly comparable. I love that I can recognize all the ingredients in the Seventh Generation version, but I just can’t handle the smell. Clorox wipes are pretty decent, but they are more expensive than Lysol, the wipes are much thinner & the smell is more chemical.